1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to digital video broadcasting. More particularly, the invention relates to transmitting Internet protocol packets on a digital video broadcasting network.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional digital video broadcast (DVB) services transmit Internet protocol (IP) data to end-users via a transport stream. A DVB compliant transport stream contains one or more DVB services. Each DVB service consists of one or more component streams called DVB service components. Each service component consists of transport stream packets identified by a packet identifier (PID) value that is assigned by a service provider and is unique within a particular transport stream. Each service component is also uniquely identified within a transport stream by the combination of the service identifier and component tag values assigned by the service provider. Unicast IP data and multicast IP data are identified by a limited number of packet identifiers. For example, all unicast IP data may be identified by a single packet identifier and all multicast IP data may be identified by a second packet identifier. The use of a limited number of packet identifiers requires extensive processing by the DVB receivers that receive the transport stream. In particular, when receiving unicast IP data, a DVB receiver must process all of the data transmitted under the single or limited number of unicast IP packet identifiers. This data includes not only the data addressed to the DVB receiver, but also includes data addressed to all or several other DVB receivers.
Some proposed solutions to this problem have involved using new protocols to provide digital video services. One drawback of these solutions is that they require modifying the hardware or software components of existing DVB receivers.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for systems and methods for transmitting IP data over DVB service networks that require reduced processing by DVB receivers and that do not require extensive modifications to existing DVB receivers.